Canada Plants

Juniperuscommunis (Common Juniper)

Michael's Opinion

This evergreen is a medium sized shrub that can be used for hedges and mass plantings. It is not a desirable plant and some people find this plant objectionable due to its yellow-brown foliage that develops in cold winter months.

Botanical Information

Family

Cupressaceae

Genus

Juniperus

Species

communis

Category

Woody

Type

Tree (evergreen)

Origin

It is common in North and Central Europe, in the mountains of countries that border the Mediterranean, Asia and North America.

Description and Growing Information

General Description

The plant is very adaptable and can literally grow in any conditions.

ID Characteristic

In winter foliage turns to a brown-bronze colour and has blue-black fruits. This plant is often confused with Juniperus conferta, the difference being that Juniperus communis has a white line that is divided by broader green midrib on its needles.

Shape

Common Junipers usually have a narrow, pyramidal shape. They can also be low growing in form.

Landscape

This plant is not used in horticulture as an ornamental shrub. It could be used as a ground cover for sandy soils and waste places. Common Junipers are not very desirable plants.

Propagation

Seeds requires a cold stratification period. It has a hard seed coat and can take a long time to germinate.

Cultivation

This plant can grow in the worst possible soil conditions. The plant commonly grows on dry, sterile soils, rock outcroppings and wastelands. It is very hardy and likes full sun/partial shade. The Common Juniper is very pH adaptable.

Pests

This plant is susceptible to juniper blight, can have problems with root rot and can be infected with cedar-apple type rusts.

Notable Specimens

Common in the Bruce Peninsula region of Ontario, Canada and along the sides of highway 69 north of Barrie, Ontario, Canada.

Habitat

Northern parts of Asia, Europe and North America at altitudes up to 3000 m.

Bark Description

The bark on is a red–brown colour which flakes off in thin strips, it cannot usually be seen as it is covered by the foliage.

Bud Description

Buds are small and brown-orange.

Leaf Description

The needles are awl-shaped tapering from the base to a point. Needles spread at a wide angle from stem and are about 5-20 mm long. They have a white band sometimes divided by a green midrib at the base.

Flower Description

Plants are dioecious, the flowers are yellow and pollinated in the spring by wind.

Fruit Description

The berry will be green in colour in the first year and as it ripens will turn to a blue-black colour. The berries are very bitter to taste (Gin) can be dried to flavour food.

Colour Description

Needles are green-grey to blue-green in the summer time, in the winter needles turn into an unpleasant yellow-brown colour. Berries are blue-black in colour and the bark is red–brown which does not change in winter months.